Trump aides used personal devices and private email

Jonathan Ernst | Reuters

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (2nd L) and senior advisors Steve Bannon (L), Jared Kushner, (2nd R), and Stephen Miller (R) arrive to board Air Force One with U.S. President Donald Trump to travel to Michigan from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., March 15, 2017.

White House aides regularly used personal devices for official business, while at least six close advisers to President Donald Trump occasionally used private email addresses, both Politico and the New York Times reported on Monday, citing sources.

Former chief of staff Reince Priebus tried to stop the “rampant” use of personal devices for official business, asking aides in a July meeting to store personal phones in secure lockers or leave them at home, Politico reported, citing meeting attendees.

Priebus’ request was largely ignored, the Politico report said, citing six current and former administration officials, advisors and people who correspond with the White House.

The New York Times also reported, citing current and former officials, that at least six of Trump’s closest advisers used private email addresses for White House business.

That included Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Stephen Bannon and Priebus, while other advisers, including Gary Cohn and Stephen Miller sent or received at least some emails on personal accounts, the New York Times report said, citing officials.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement on Monday, noting that personnel had been given instructions on the proper handling of electronic communications.

“All White House personnel have been instructed to use official email to conduct all government related work. They are further instructed that if they receive work-related communication on personal accounts, they should be forwarded to official email accounts,” she said.

The White House told NBC News that it wouldn’t comment further on the matter or on the nature of the emails which were sent and received.

The news comes a day after Kushner’s lawyer confirmed that he had used a personal email account to communicate with White House officials.